Garment carrier



Aug. 28, 1962 w. w. CROWLEY GARMENT CARRIER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 22, 1961 INVENTOR. WALT m2 W CROWLEY Aug. 28, 1962 w. w. CROWLEY GARMENT CARRIER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 22, 1961 INVENTOR. WALTER \M. CROWLEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,051,302 Patented Aug. 28, 1962 This invention relates to an improved garment carrier designed for the storage and transportation of goods in a manner which avoids wrinkles in the goods but at the same time does not provide a bulky space wasting condition.

Various garment carriers are well known in the art, the majority of these carriers being of the flexible type. This flexible type of carrier usually is provided with means for hooking hangers or the like at the top of the carrier, and clothes on the hangers may thus be supported within the carrier. However, when it is desired to transport the garments, there is no provision in present carriers for maintaining the garments in a wrinkle free state. Present automobiles are generally not designed for vertical hanging of the carriers, and at any rate this type of arrangement is not ordinarily satisfactory since to much space is taken up within the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

Where it is necessary to place the garment bags within the trunk of an automobile or to lay out the carrier in other parts of the vehicle, the flexible bags naturally assume the contour of the surface on which they rest. It is apparent that with spare tires, suitcases, boxes and the like in the automobile the garments within the carrier cannot be expected to lie flat, and wrinkles will certainly develop.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an improved garment carrier designed for the storage and transportation of goods in a manner which avoids wrinkles in the garments but which will not provide .an inconvenient, bulky carrier.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a garment carrier which achieves the foregoing objectives even where it is necessary to place the carrier within the trunk of an automobile, and even where it must lie on an uneven surface.

These and other objects of this invention will appear hereinafter, and for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, specific embodiments of this invention are shown in the accompanying drawings in which FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the garment carrier of this invention as it appears with the cover thereof closing the carrier;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the garment carrier of this invention as it appears with the front cover pulled down to permit access to the interior of the bag;

FIGURE 3 is a rear view of the improved garment carrier of this invention;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of the garment carrier taken about the line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a detail view of the improved carrier hanger means of this invention; and

FIGURE 6 is a detail sectional view taken about the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5.

The improved garment carrier of this invention is generally characterized by a rigid elongated rectangular frame. A rigid U-shaped member is connected at its ends to the long sides of the frame, and the base portion of the U-shaped member is approximately horizontally disposed with respect to one of the short sides of the frame. The U-shaped member is retained in angular relationship with the frame by means of a rigid hanging bar which connects the U-shaped member with the frame. A waterproof and dustproof cover is releasably provided about the frame to insure adequate protection of the garments maintained therein.

A garment carrier which is characterized by the above noted features is adapted to be hung or laid out in an automobile or other vehicle Without the danger of distorting or wrinkling the garments contained therein. It has been found that the rigid character and specific arrangement of the structural members enables wrinkle free storage and transportation of the garments even under the most adverse conditions.

Referring to the drawings, FIGURE 1 illustrates a garment carrier, generally designated by the numeral 10, with a cover 12. The carrier in FIGURE 1 is shown in the closed condition which provides for protection of the garments from the elements during storage and transportation.

The front portion 14 of the carrier is releasably secured as by means of snap-on buttons 16. As illustrated in FIGURE 2, the front portion 14 of the cover is stitched to the back portion of the cover up to the point 18, and when the front portion is released from the frame it will, therefore, open the carrier to provide for access to the interior thereof.

The frame which supports the cover 12 comprises an elongated rectangular member 20 which includes long sides 22 and short sides 24. Connected to the long sides at 26 is a U-shaped member 28 having arms 30 and a base 32. The U-shaped member 28 is held away from the member 20 by means of a rigid hanging bar 34. The bar 34 holds the member 28 in an angular position with respect to the member 29 and further provides a means for securing garment hangers and the like on which the goods to be stored and transported are placed.

A strap 36 is provided on one short side 24 of the frame member 20 and is adapted for hanging of the entire garment carrier where it is desired to so dispose the carrier. The strap 36 is provided to straddle the junction point between the end 38 of the bar 34 and the short side 24 of the member 26. The loop portion of the strap is obviously adapted for hanging onto a hook or the like.

In a preferred arrangement of the strap 36, shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, there is provision for hanging of the carrier onto a horizontal rod 40. In this arrangement, the connecting means 42, which may be a bolt, pin or the like, is adapted to extend through the end 38 of the bar 34 and past the bottom side of the short side 24. The extension of the means 42 thus provides a means for hooking the strap 36 after it is looped over the rod 40.

The garment carrier of this invention is advantageously provided with means for dismantling the frame whereby the carrier may be stored or packaged in a more compact condition. For this purpose a connected sleeve 44 is adapted to connect the upper and lower halves of the long sides of the frame 20. The sleeve 44 holds the halves together by means of the screws 46. Instead, the separate sections can be formed with ends which telescope one within the other to effect an assembled relation. 'It will be understood, however, that the sides 20 of the frame can be formed of one piece.

It will be apparent that the disclosed garment carrier provides many distinct advantages. The design of the carrier provides a device adapted for wrinkle-free transportation and storage of a large number of garments which are provided on carriers adapted to fit over the hanging bar 34. The carriers rigid frame permits maintaining a Wrinkle-free condition despite the contour of the surface on which the bag is laid. The cover 12, made of canvas or other waterproof and dustproof material, serves to protect the garments, While the snaps thereon permit ready access to the interior of the carrier. The carrier of this invention is provided with novel means for hanging the carrier in a vertical position, as may be desired when the carrier is being loaded or stored. Under such circumstances, it will be apparent that the carrier can be used as a closet in which the garments are hung so that the assembly with the garments therein can be removed from the transportation means and suspended from a hook or rack or otherwise rested upon a floor against a wall or the like in vertical position to define the clothes closet at the distance stations of use. In addition, the novel carrier is adapted for dismantling and compact storage when not in use.

It will be understood that various modifications may be made in the above described garment carrier which provide the characteristics of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, particularly as defined in the following claims.

I claim;

1. A garment carrier adapted for the hanging and transporting of garments in a wrinkle-free manner comprising a rigid elongated rectangular frame, a rigid U- shaped member having the ends thereof connected to the long sides of said frame and having the base portion thereof approximately horizontally disposed with respect to one of the short sides of said frame, a rigid hanging bar connecting said one side with said base portion, and

a cover adapted to fit about said frame.

2. A garment carrier according to claim 1 wherein said cover is releasably secured to said frame along one side thereof to permit access to the interior of said carrier.

3. A garment carrier according to claim 1 including means secured to said frame for fixing said carrier on a supporting means.

4. A garment carrier adapted for the hanging and transporting of garments in a wrinkle-free manner comprising a rigid elongated rectangular frame, a rigid U- shaped member connected at the ends thereof to the long sides of said frame and angularly disposed with respect to said long sides, said U-shaped member having the base portion thereof approximately horizontally disposed with respect to one of the short sides of said frame, a rigid hanging bar positioned centrally of and connecting said one short side and said base portion, means secured to said one short side for fixing said carrier on a support- 5. A garment carrier according to claim 1 wherein an end of said hanging bar rests on the top portion of and is connected to said short side by means of an elongated connecting means which extends through said short side and beyond the bottom portion thereof and wherein said means secured to said short side for fixing said carrier on a supporting means comprises a strap having the two ends thereof straddling the point on said short side where said hanging bar connects with the short side, whereby said strap is adapted to pass over a supporting means for said carrier and to then hook around the extending portion of said connecting means.

6. A garment carrier adapted for the hanging and transporting of garments in a Wrinkle free manner comprising a rigid elongated rectangular frame having a horizontal stifiening member horizontally positioned between the long sides of said frame, a rigid U-shaped member connected at the ends thereof to said long sides and angularly disposed with respect to said long sides, said U-shaped member having the base portion thereof ap proximately horizontally disposed with respect to one of the short sides of said frame, a rigid hanging bar positioned centrally of and connecting said one short side and said base portion, means secured to said one short side for fixing said carrier on a supporting means, and a cover fitted about said frame and adapted to be opened to permit access to the interior of said carrier.

7. A garment carrier according to claim 6 wherein an end of said hanging bar rests on the top portion of and is connected to said short side by means of an elongated connecting means which extends through said short side and beyond the bottom portion thereof wherein said means secured to said short side for fixing said carrier on a supporting means comprises a strap having the two ends thereof straddling the point on said short side where said hanging bar connects with the short side, whereby said strap is adapted to pass over a supporting means for said carrier and to then hook around the extending portion of said connecting means.

8. A garment carrier according to claim 6 wherein said elongated rectangular frame has the upper and lower halves of s'md long side releasably connected to permit dismantling and compact storage of said carrier.

No references cited.

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